CT22 came with a tear in the bag-how to clean the filters????

[swifty]

I have a new CT 22 and have been very impressed and pleased with the unit until I open it to check the bag and was shocked to see all the dirt on the inside and on the hepta filter. On examining the bag I noticed a tear in the bag which released dirt and chips outside the bag. I know the manual says not to try to clean the filter but buy new filters. Mine is a new unit and I am not ready to spend extra bucks for a filter.
i tried vacuuming  surface dirt off the filter and then blowing off with my air compressor. I was further annoyed that the manual would not give instructions on how to remove the filters but follow the instructions on the new package of filters

 

[justinmcf]

hi swifty,the standard answer you will get will be..... call your dealer, tell them the problem and you will be pleasantly surprised at how well the dealer/festool service looks after you.

regards, justin.

btw, when you say new, how new? 1 week, 1 month, 1 year?

 

[swifty]

i purchased it on 4-20-2009.It will be 30 days today.

 

[Daviddubya]

It is under a warranty for three years, and in the first year Festool pays shipping costs.  In addition to the warranty, there is a 30 day, money back gaurantee.  I'm sure Festool will send you a new bag and new Hepa filters under the warranty.

http://www.festoolusa.com/support/warranty.html
http://www.festoolusa.com/support/gaurantee.html

 

[Tinker]

I experienced the torn bag problem with my CT 33.  The HEPA filters became packed like solid wood before I figured out why i was losing vacuum.  When i finally discovered my problem, i just removed the filters, beat them out on board (tapped gently that is).  By the time i got the dust BLOCKS out of the folds, I had a pile of dust all out of proportion to the size of the filters.  I put the filters back in and the vac was sucking like new again.  I have just noticed a seemingly slight drop in vacuum within the last couple of days I have run my ATF 55.  This weekend, I will check inside.

Once i discovered the filter problem, i have periodically worked the little exterior handle meant to shake out the filters.  I'm not sure if that helps or not.  I do think the time elapsed from original fix to apparent drop in vac has been a much shorter time period than from beginning of use to the first drop in vacuum.  I may have another torn bag.  If so, I will report as I don't see any reson this should happen a second time. 

This is billing weekend for me so it will be a few days before i get back down into the shop.  If it is a case of the HEPA filters filming over with dust, even tho I am using a cyclone, I suspect it could be from the fact I have been doing a lot of sanding lately.  I find the sanding dust goes right on past the cyclone and into the filter bags.  That dust is so fine, I am wondering how much passes thru the pores of the filter bags.  I will report on my findings later after I inspect.

to answer your original question about not fixing the HEPA's, but to replace, I would do it the way Festool tells you on a new vac.  My vac was already well beyond warrantee when I first had the problem.  I don't think it necessary to replace every time.  I don't know if i will replace this time.  I'll figure it out once I open it up.
Tinker

 

[wnagle]

Tinker,

What do you think is causing your bag to tear?

 

[Tinker]

It only happened the one time.  I'm not sure why it happened.
I have not looked into it this time that the vacuum has dropped.
For the time being, my time priorities are looking at grass, soil, shrub and tree problems.
Those are the in-go items for me
Tinker

 

[Rob Z]

I have mentioned this before here on the forum, but I'll bring it up again as a way to provide a benchmark of what the 22 can do and what the HEPA filter life should be.

We used the 22 in conjuntion with an electric concrete saw to cut over 200 lineal feet of concrete slab in a basement.  We went through 3 of the paper bags, and my guys made use of the filter-cleaning handle thing on the vac.  I should have taken a picture of the HEPA filters after all of that...it was amazing how clean they were.  I think part of the reason is because we changed the paper bags several times.

I bought a second set of HEPA filters to have ready, because I was convinced the the filters wouldn't make it though the job without the need to be changed. I was pleasantly surprised that we will still get quite a bit more use out of the existing HEPA filters, and the spare set sits on the shelf for now.

Swifty, after all that concrete cutting that we did, the inside of the 22 was somewhat dirty, and I just took everything apart and cleaned it thoroughly with some spray cleaner, paper towels, and another shop vac.